The present invention relates to smart card devices and, more particularly, to smart card devices having processing elements composed of organic materials.
Smart cards are known per se. They are processing devices provided in a credit card sized form factor. Smart cards may possess a processor and/or a memory. They typically exchange data with a larger computer system to affect commercial transactions, operate keycard systems or perform other networking functions.
Traditional smart cards provide the processor and/or memory in a traditional silicon-based integrated circuit. They also may include electronic or optical interfaces to exchange data with the larger system and may be powered by a battery or other power source.
The use of conventional silicon-based integrated circuits carries with it certain disadvantages. First, the integrated circuit does not tolerate physical stress. Smart cards routinely encounter flexion, twisting and other deforming forces during use as they are carried in wallets, pushed and pulled from card readers and deployed in the marketplace. These physical forces can damage the integrated circuits on a smart card unless they are carefully used. Second, the integrated circuit is expensive to manufacture. These disadvantages led the inventors to identify a need in the art for a smart card that avoids the limitations of the silicon-based integrated circuit.